Relying on video from crime scene makes detectives lazy – Defence

Mr Patrick Anim Addo, a Counsel in the trial of the alleged murderers of the late Major Maxwell Mahama, has accused the Police of being lazy detectives due to their reliance on video in the investigation of his death.

He said the reason is that they only relied on the video taken from the crime scene for their investigations, but Mr Baffour Appenteng Nyamekye, Assistant Commissioner of Police who is the twelfth prosecution witness disagreed.

He said “My Lord the video did not turn the Police into a lazy detectives, we also focused on other factors in our investigations.”

Mr Appenteng, who has served the Ghana Police Service for 30 years, was answering questions in further cross-examination by Mr Anim Addo, the counsel for Bismarck Abanga and Kwadwo Anima, who are two of the accused in the trial.

Counsel suggested to the witness that, the reason why he made the comment was that, the Police relied on the video without doing their own investigations but the witness again disagreed.

“Are you aware that there are people in the dock, who are not in the video or photo album, who have not made any confession or admissions of been participants in the crime?” he asked but the witness said unless he go through the album.

Mr Anim Addo suggested to the witness that a woman who allegedly set fire to the body of the late Major was not arraigned, but the witness said the woman is still at large.

He said a bench warrant has been issued for her arrest and she is on the Police wanted list.

Counsel pointed to the witness that the woman in question was the killer of the late Major but the Assistant Commissioner of Police said “My Lord, l cannot tell.”

Mr Anim Addo, who gave a scenario asked the witness if someone was injured but not yet dead and petrol poured on that person and fire set on the body, that person would die, but the witness disagreed.

Asked, whether he did explore the possibility of self defence from the accused persons, the witness said none of the accused persons raised the issue of self-defence.

When asked further whether he explored the evidence of the accused persons as self defence, he said the evidence of the accused never suggested self defence.

Fourteen persons are standing trial at an Accra High Court over the killing of Major Mahama, who was an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion, at Burma Camp.

The late Major was on duty at Denkyira-Oboasi in the Central Region when on May 29, 2017 some residents allegedly mistook him for an armed robber and lynched him.

The mob had ignored his persistent plea that he was an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces.